Exploria Portsmouth: Council injects £119k investment to create new sensory room at play centre

Located at Pyramids in Southsea, Exploria will welcome a brand new sensory room to make play accessible for every child. The venue currently offers quieter SEN play and bounce sessions on Tuesdays and there is an existing sensory room with stimulating lights, sound and touch suitable for children with additional needs.  Portsmouth City Council owns the building and has pumped £119,000 into the play venue to create the additional sensory room which will be bigger, brighter and will have a range of new features. To create space for the new facility, Exploria’s existing sensory room and baby ball pit will temporarily close from Monday, September 9 so that building work can take place. 

Alan Higginson, centre manager, said: “We are so excited to welcome visitors to Exploria’s new sensory room, which will make the centre more accessible to residents across the city. We can’t wait to share updates about this fantastic Portsmouth City Council investment as the project progresses.” 

The new sensory room is expected to be open by the end of the year and the centre will remain open as usual with sessions unaffected. Updates regarding the project will be shared on Exploria’s Facebook page so people can keep up to date with the progress being made.

Located at Pyramids in Southsea, Exploria has dedicated bounce zones, themed party rooms, foam pits, battle beams, tunnels, and much more for children aged 6 months and upwards. 

Councillor Steve Pitt, Leader of Portsmouth City Council said: "It is a priority for us that everybody should be able to access our leisure facilities, so that residents can enjoy them together as a family. For this reason, I'm pleased that the initial phase of creating space for this new sensory room is moving forward.

“We firmly believe that sports and leisure activities combat isolation and build a stronger sense of community. That's why investing in facilities across the city is crucial, as it opens up more opportunities for residents to stay active and lead healthier, happier lives." 

Exploria is owned by Portsmouth City Council and managed by BH Live. For more information about Exploria and the new sensory room, click here.